


Before the Footnotes

by zarabithia



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Pacific Rim Fusion, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-05
Updated: 2015-01-05
Packaged: 2018-03-05 14:05:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3122951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zarabithia/pseuds/zarabithia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Peggy thinks she is drift compatible with almost anyone. Steve thinks he isn’t compatible with anyone. They are both wrong.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Before the Footnotes

**Author's Note:**

> Written for alwayssodramatic for the Steggy Secret Santa exchange.
> 
> I used the [Pacific Rim Timeline found here for reference. ](I%20used%20the%20Pacific%20Rim%20Timeline%20found%20here%20for%20reference.%20)

**August 2013, Pacific Ocean**

When the breach opens, Peggy is completing her eleventh year in the Royal Navy. It is a decent career that pays well enough. She is doing her family proud, and she is paying homage to a line of women who have served since Mary Carter first signed up with Queen Alexandra’s Royal Naval Nursing Service more than a century ago.

It’s exactly what she’s always planned, and it’s nothing at all like what she’s always wanted. She writes home as often as she can; she enjoys the pride she feels when her grandmother writes back.

But something’s missing, and it isn’t until reports start coming in about what exactly is behind San Franciso’s 7.1 earthquake that Peggy has time to assess the way her heart had felt permanently lodged in her ears, pounding its way loudly through every minute of the ensuing battle. It’s only with the death of the Kaiju that Peggy has to admit to herself exactly what’s been missing: Purpose.

**December 2013, England**

The celebrations are still going on, and Peggy supposes they shouldn’t grate on her nerves quite as much as they do.

There is much to celebrate, after all. In the aftermath of the Kaiju’s death, there is a greater sense of cooperation among many nations who were previously squabbling. It had taken combined efforts of multiple militaries to take down the invader, after all. Even the Americans are playing nicely, which is a feat that Grandmother Carter scoffs will not last long.

"It never has," Falsworth agrees over a beer in a pub two weeks before Christmas. They’re sitting at the bar, the jubilant chatter of holiday cheer blasting from the television and from their fellow inebriated sailors.

"They’re not all terrible," Peggy says, primarily because the low hum of unrest that has sat in her belly since the death of the Kaiju is making her irritable.

Falsworth raises an eyebrow. “Need I remind you about Dugan?” he says. “Or Jones?”

"Good men, both very helpful allies during The Fight." That’s what they call it these days, and it seems ever so … dull. Such an uninspired name for such a tremendous event in their lives. "Not to mention Stark’s piloting skills."

"We all know about that a Stark in the military is about as legitimate as a Kennedy." Falsworth takes another drink of his beer. "I bet they shine their medals every day."

"And I know you mention yours ever day," Peggy scoffs.

Falsworth looks offended; he believes that generations of Carter and Falsworth friendships have earned him more liberty in her presence than they do.

"It’s a once in a lifetime achievement. I suppose there’s no harm in being proud," Falsworth says.

Peggy glances at the television again and feels something between longing and uncertainty twist in her stomach. She blames the watered down beer of Falsworth’s chosen drinking hole, but takes another drink regardless.

**February 2014, Manila**

On the fifth of February, the celebrations are abruptly halted, and Peggy finds that they were never quite as annoying as she once thought they were.

But there isn’t time to mourn her ill-judgment. First there is the battle itself, and the knowledge that they need some sort of warning system for the next time that the Kaiju attacks.

Because they stop calling it “The Fight.” From now on, it’s “The First Attack.” From now on, they always acknowledge that they are on the defensive. From now on, there is always the knowledge that there will be another Kaiju, and the victory has not been won.

The Second Attack is more vicious. It’s as though the Kaiju know them, and know what they are and aren’t capable of; and what the Kaiju are capable of is the kind of devastation that doesn’t allow them to take so much as a deep breath before the next attack.

**October 2014, Sydney**

A month after The Fourth Attack, Peggy is still assisting in rebuilding efforts in Sydney. She’s never been to Australia before, but it seemed like a nice place to put on her post-retirement list. She had lovely dreams of sandy beaches, kangaroos, and lovely sun-tanned blond men with dirty hats serving her drinks between wrangling crocodiles.

They’d been silly dreams, but in the days in which retirement seemed an option, retirement dreams were meant to be filled with silly nonsense. Standing in a crowded community building, full of homeless and hungry misplaced Australians, Peggy wonders if the Kaiju had spared the crocodiles during their attacks.

"Do you ever wonder what the point is?" Jones asks. She’s only been working with him a month, but in that month, he’s aged at least five years; Peggy wonders if those who work with her can see the toll across her face just as well. "We rebuild in one spot, the Kaiju attack somewhere else. Not to mention that the supplies…"

His voice is low, as they sit alongside Phillips at a table and share the remainder of what is supposed to pass for an officer’s meal. In The Time Before The Attacks, Peggy would have scoffed at such meager offerings for even an enlisted member of their armed forces. In the time that is now, neither Peggy nor her American colleagues can bear to eat an entire meal of their own; instead they share a lunch and give the remains to children who remind Jones of his daughters and Phillips of his grandsons.

There’s a joke in there, about American excess, but it dies somewhere in the middle of Peggy’s throat.

"I don’t wonder," Peggy says. "Because what else are we to do? Quit?"

"Of course not," Jones answers, "There’s three reasons back home that’s never an option, Carter. One’s three, one’s five, and one holds tequila better than I ever could."

"That why you marry her?" Phillips asks with the kind of grunt that Peggy’s begun to chalk up to affection after all this time.

"Damn straight," Jones says. "I’d never quit. Be an affront to all the Joneses who came before me. Do you want a Tuskegee Airman to get up out of his grave and come kick my ass, Carter?"

"If he can still operate a plane afterward, he’s welcome on our team," Peggy says and his laugh is low and gentle.

Phillips looks at them both and shakes his head. “I guess Stark and Morita were right about the two of you; you’re probably sturdy enough not to break.” He tears the biscuit into three parts, and hands the larger two pieces of Peggy and Jones. “You two hear about the The Pan Pacific Defense Corps?”

Of course they have - it’s the United Nation’s official, if belated, response to the “Kaiju problem.”

"Much as I’m glad my old flying buddy has good words to say about me, what does his opinion have to do with The Pan Pacific Defense Corps?" Jones asks.

Peggy wonders the same about Howard; he’s nice enough, and the best pilot she’s ever worked with …. but she hasn’t seen him since the First Attack.

"The Pan Pacific Defense Corps is starting up a new program. Gonna need the sturdiest of soldiers," Phillips says.

"Airman, not a soldier," Jones corrects.

Peggy could do the same. Instead, she says, “When do we start?”

She doesn’t know what the program is, but she knows that what they are doing isn’t working.

**December 2014, Kodiak Island**

Apparently, Stark can do more than fly a plane, though his genius is secondary to the work of Erskine. Still, it is Stark who declares the need for celebration two months after Peggy has been with The Pan Pacific Defense Corps.

"To technology being triumphant over alien bastards. And to Christmas!" Stark says, gesturing with his plastic cup full of champagne in the direction of the small tree in the corner of the room that doubles as a research lab and a meeting room.

Erskine rolls his eyes. “Not all of us celebrate your holiday,” he points out.

Stark’s smile falters for a moment. “Right. You know, Stark Industries actually has an amazing anti-discrimination policy - “

"One you didn’t write," Carbonell points out. Peggy’s never met her before, but Peggy can already tell that she likes her a good deal. She’s a Brazilian pilot, and absolutely not willing to put up with Stark’s nonsense. Howard, lovely man that he is, can never have too many of those types of influences in his life.

"Ah, no, I didn’t. But Edwin is a very capable manservant, and so - "

"Are you always in the habit of calling your employees manservants?" Carbonell looks even more annoyed than she did a moment ago.

Stark pauses. “Okay. New start. New deal. When this is all over, the Jaeger program has kicked the Kaiju’s ass, I take everyone out for fondue. Best cheese, bread, and wine you’ll ever have.”

"I’m lactose intolerant," Morita says dryly.

"That’s a lie," Jones whispers into Peggy’s ear. "Last time we were in his home state, man stacked so much cheese on his fish tacos, the entire state of Wisconsin stood up and took a bow in his direction."

"I’m gluten intolerant," Dugan claims. It’s also probably a lie; his sandwiches have been made with the kind of cheap, white Wonder Bread that would make Peggy’s mother weep.

"Back home, Faith makes the absolute best macaroni and cheese. Little bit of brie, little bit of Gruyère, and little bit of white wine," Bradley relates. Of all the pilots here, he is the most laid back and his warm and friendly tone isn’t at all what Peggy thinks of when she thinks of American pilots. He’s as different from Stark and Dugan as one can be. "I am thinking that the best fondue of your heart can’t touch my wife’s mac and cheese."

"Your wife has excellent taste in cheeses, Captain Bradley. Where exactly are you getting our wine from, Stark?" Dernier asks. "It had better not be Italian." Unlike the others, Dernier may in fact hate Italian wine. Peggy cannot testify either way.

"Chocolate is better than cheese, if you’re going to go the fondue route," Falsworth notes, and Peggy is proud that she recommended him for the project, because his taste is impeccable.

"This is our defense against the Kaiju? This team?" Lorraine says to Phillips. She rolls her eyes, and Peggy can’t fault her concern. But Lorraine is new to military service, and Peggy is not; gallows humor has been hard to come by since The First Attack, but if they are going to retain their dignity in the face of such a looming threat, it is necessary.

"It’s all we got," Phillips retorts.

Peggy glances around the small, crowded room, and thinks that it’s a pretty decent team. She’s certainly been part of much worse.

There is a sense of everything not quite being … complete, but maybe that is her nerves. It is going to be a busy year, after all.

**Feburary 2015, Kodiak Island**

The year of 2015 is not quite so jubilant as the end of 2014. Peggy sits in the small research room with Phillips, Stark, Carbonell, and Erskine. It’s a privilege that her rank affords her, even if the question of rank is somewhat questionable within their multi-national, multi-armed forces group.

She still outranks a lieutenant, whether or not he is from England. That much, Peggy is certain of, and fortunately, the others agree.

"Falsworth is doing better," Erskine tells them. "And Bradley is expected to make a full recovery. He still wants to be a part of the program."

"Of course he does," Peggy interjects. "Falsworth will want to, as well. They are both brave men."

"The bravery of Falsworth and Bradley is not to be questioned," Phillips says, with the kind of impatience that they all feel, but only Phillips has the rank to express. "You promised me a solution to the seizures that put them out of commission. Do you have one, or is the Jaeger program still a goddam waste of resources?"

"The problem," Stark continues, as though Phillips hadn’t spoken at all, "is that it’s too much for one person’s mind to handle. So the obvious solution is to make it a shareable burden."

"Two pilots," Peggy says. "Of course. A pilot is only as good as her co-pilot."

Stark looks offended. “That may be true for some people, but - “

"You’ll need volunteers," Peggy interrupts. "I volunteer."

"Whoa, whoa, hold on, there, pal," Stark interrupts. "First of all, there’s still risks. There’s no guarantee that having two pilots will solve the problem - "

"But we’re pretty confident it will," Erskine corrects.

"Whatever. Just don’t die on me. You are the only person who isn’t allergic to cheese or bread or good taste in this entire program," Stark huffs. "If you die, who am I supposed to get a celebratory dinner with?"

Carbonell rolls her eyes. “I volunteer to co-pilot with Commander Carter,” she says. “I’m sure the boys would love another chance, but the faster we try the new approach, the sooner we can see if it’s flawed. We don’t have time for a recovery.”

"Well, you’re both very reckless. I’m sure you’re be great co-pilots together," Stark grumbles.

"Just build the robot already, Howard," Peggy tells him.

**April 2015, Vancouver**

Drifting with Maria is always an experience that makes Peggy incredibly exhausted; it’s likely the process itself. After all, drifting requires the consent of both parties to allow the other entirely into their brain. All of their past actions, good and bad, are laid bare.

In Maria, Peggy sees all the seeds of what Howard calls “recklessness,” but have in fact been a lifetime of not hesitating to do what needs to be done, regardless of the personal cost and the many obstacles that have stood in her way. This is a reflection of who Peggy is, but the drift lets them both see their differences. Differences that are so numerous - Maria’s desire for the limelight that drove her for a career as a pilot is reflected in her love of parties and neither are qualities that Peggy shares. Within the drift, Peggy can see that Maria and Howard have much in common. Even Lorraine and Maria have a good deal in common.

But it is the details that make Maria and Peggy work well as a team, and it is that teamwork that allows them - and The Iron Agent - to stand triumphantly over the dead body of a Kaiju at the end of The Fifth Attack.

**July 2015, Hong Kong**

Phillips has admitted that the Jaeger program may no longer be a “goddamn waste of resources,” but he complains still about the compatibility nature of the project. When Peggy visits him, he is overseeing the construction of the first of what will be seven Shatterdomes, and the days of meeting in cramped quarters are over, but he still finds cause to worry about the future of the program. The lunch they share is larger and more excessive than the ones they shared in Australia or Alaska. The budget is there, and somehow, miraculously, so is the food.

Their lunch table, however, is very crowded, full of architectural plans, contracts, and angry printed emails from ambassadors around the world.

"Not only do we have to round up some decent pilots, we have to train them, because god knows the Kaiju bastards have eliminated most of the actual decent pilots on the planet," Phillips complains.

"Training has always been an important part of military’s efforts," Peggy argues back, because the Jaeger program is the future. It is successful, even if it still feels … unfinished. She has faith in this program, and she will argue against even Phillips. "Besides, finding someone who is drift compatible isn’t that difficult."

Phillips looks up from the architect’s plans to glare at her over his glasses. “Look, Miss Superstar Pilot, just because you’ve been able to drift with Jones, Lorraine, and Carbonell does not mean that everyone has the same luck. Most people get thrown out of the drift far more often than you do.”

Peggy’s only been thrown once, and that was when she and Dugan attempt to drift. She knows that a disastrous drift can be painful - the headache had lasted for days - but she also wonders if people over-sell the idea of being “drift compatible.” To hear Stark and Erskine tell it, being drift compatible with your partner is just this close to being a soulmate, and Peggy certainly hasn’t felt that way with any of her co-pilots.

Maybe if people just buckled down and got the job done and quit worrying so much about some fairytale soulmate bond, they’d have greater success at drifting.

"Maybe people forget we’re fighting a war and not reading a storybook," she retorts.

Phillips glares and when that doesn’t work, he rolls his eyes. “In any case, Erskine is working on fixing the problem with drift compatibility. He’ got a serum that he says will make a person able to drift with anybody.”

"That sounds incredible," Peggy says diplomatically. "Does it work?"

"Don’t know yet. We’re still sorting through the test subjects. Erskine’s got his heart set on Rogers. Which is ridiculous, but it’s his serum, and I can’t talk him out of it."

"Is Rogers not a good choice?" Peggy asks. She trusts Erskine’s judgment; he has sat beside her in Alaska and told her of his wife, of his children, of the grandchildren who he will never get the chance to know because they will never be born.

"He’s outside with Erskine, failing more tests," Phillips says with a sigh, before turning his gaze back towards the plans. "Why don’t you go introduce yourself?"

Peggy leaves him to his complaints and his duties, and goes outside to find Erskine and this new breed of super-pilot-to-be.

**August, 2015, Hong Kong**

Rogers has the hair of her long ago imagined crocodile wrestlers, and if the hat that she had always imagined would swallow him whole, well, she’s not seen a hat like it being sold in Hong Kong anyway.

But his eyes are an entrancing shade of blue, and Peggy will admit - if only to herself - that they make conversations with the man much more enjoyable than even the content of conversations. The Shatterdome is still being constructed; workers are putting flooring into place five yards away from the spot where Peggy and Steve share a dinner.

Thanks to Erskine’s orders, Rogers’ dinner is an alcohol-free event; Peggy drinks a glass of wine for him, and perhaps it is the wine that has her being philosophical about the exact shade of blue in those eyes. Or perhaps it is the fact that although Peggy has become quite famous as half of the first successful Jaeger duo and is therefore used to being showered with adoration, those blue eyes never look at her with the same type of adoration.

It is a special category all of its own, and it makes Peggy’s heart pound in her ears just as loudly as the First Attack did, two years before.

"I’m surprised you’ve been here this long," Rogers says to her now. "I hear the other pilots are off dealing with recruiting and training."

"Mostly training. All sorts are lined up to volunteer; there’s little need for much recruiting." Jones, Carbonell, and Lorraine have all sent her pictures of the long lines, and Peggy has had the time to watch the news, something she hasn’t felt much up to doing since The First Attack. There’s an overabundance of people suddenly wanting to sign up to pilot large robots against the aliens.

"Yeah, when I went to sign up with Bucky, the line was over a mile long," Rogers admits. "Hell of a long line to stand in just to be told no."

"Yet, I hear you did so multiple times."

"Stood for seven miles, all together. Well, I did. Bucky got in on the first try. He was so proud, and I was proud of him, too. He’s going to be in the first class at the Jaeger Academy, you know."

The smile is a proud one, of a man who bears absolutely no ill-will towards a more successful friend, and for a moment, Peggy wonders how Phillips can doubt this one. It is not the first time she has wondered. If the war is to be won at all, it will be won by men and women with the same level of selflessness.

"In all those seven miles, did you ever think about giving up?" she asks. She already knows the answer. She’s seen it, as he’s struggled through each and every test that Erskine and Phillips have thrown at him. This isn’t a man who understands the value of giving up, and that fact makes him as compelling as those startling blue eyes.

"No," Steve says without hesitation. "Art school was nice and all, and I feel badly that Mom’s spent so much money on something that isn’t …. isn’t going to pan out for me. But I could never sit by and mind my own business, even if it meant a good punch in the nose."

"Your file does note that you were somewhat of a scoundrel in your youth. Back alley fights, I believe?" Of course, Peggy has full access to his entire file, and he knows as much.

But he laughs and shrugs a sheepish shoulder. “It just seems like … my whole life, bullies have been trying to tell me to move and the Kaiju, they’re just another in a long line. This time, with this serum, I might have a real chance at being able to say, ‘No, you move.’ Instead of just getting a bloody nose and an asthma attack.”

"I hope it goes well for you, Rogers," she tells him, and she’s not sure she’s meant anything quite as much as she means those words.

"Me too." He grins a little. "You could call me Steve, you know."

**September 2015, Hong Kong**

The serum certainly changes Steve Rogers. Peggy will never be ashamed of the instinct to reach out and touch the physical specimen in front of her.

"I can’t tell," Stark says, because of course he showed up to be present for the testing of the serum’s affects. "Are you relieved or disappointed that they won’t be trying out his new super drifting powers with you? Because that was drooling, Carter. Pure drooling. A starving man would drool over a piece of bread less than you drooled over that man’s new body."

"You touched him too," Peggy retorts. "And why would I be relieved? Honestly, Howard."

"Maybe you’re not ready for him to see all your intimate dirty thoughts," Howard suggested. "I’m just saying, pal."

Peggy rolls her eyes. “For the record, I’m neither upset nor relieved. It makes perfectly good sense that they are testing him out with other pilots first. I can drift with almost anyone without incident, remember?”

**November 2015, Hong Kong**

It is a week before the Americans will celebrate their Thanksgiving, and the Americans that Peggy is surrounded with are currently the opposite of thankful, because the serum is not doing what it is supposed to do at all.

In fact, Steve Rogers has yet to be drift compatible with anyone, and the violent way that his mind seems to reject potential partners is making the previous ideas of drift incompatibility pale in comparison. In fact, the last attempt had been so damaging that they’d called a halt to the entire program. With Erskine being injured in the fallout of the last attempt, it probably makes sense, though Peggy understands the disappointment that all of them feel.

But Gabe is very happy when he calls, and very thankful too. “I hear you’re having a lousy time in Hong Kong.”

"I hear you’re having a lovely time in Alaska. Finally drift with Dernier, then?"

"Oh, Carter. It was … it was like nothing that I’ve ever felt before in our drifts. I know, I know, we piloted together and we could get the job done. But trust me when I say this: we weren’t drift compatible. We were … drift acceptable. When you find the right partner to co-pilot, you’ll understand."

Peggy rolls her eyes and thinks, very briefly, of the man downstairs, still training as hard as he can for an opportunity that may never come.

**January 2016, Jaeger Academy.**

Steve accompanies her to the Jaeger Academy. There is no real purpose, because he is still under strict orders not to attempt to drift with anyone else lest the drift result in the kind of damage that they can’t undo. But Peggy enjoys the company, and Steve gets to watch Barnes walk down the aisle as part of the first graduating class of the Jaeger Academy.

It should surprise nobody who is familiar with Steve’s record to know that Steve attempts to drift with Barnes while the rest of them are distracted.

Which is how Peggy comes to find Steve alone in his guest quarters, trying his best to get drunk. He’s not anymore successful at that than he has been at drifting.

"You’ll be pleased to know that neither you nor Barnes are going to face disciplinary action," she says by way of greeting. "Which, given the severity of your law breaking and the number of accomplices you had … "

"Bucky could always inspire loyalty," Steve says, though Barnes has said the same about him.

They’re both hopeless, Peggy is certain; perhaps she is too, because she comes to stand next to him. “At least he is alright. We can be thankful for that much, at least. He didn’t respond as violently as your past matches have.”

Steve looks up at her, eyes clear and bright; the hurt in them makes her want offer some sort of apology - which is ridiculous, because none of this is Peggy’s fault in the least.

"He didn’t respond at all," Steve whispers, barely loudly enough for her to hear. "We just sat there, together, in a mindscape as white and fuzzy as a blizzard itself. He’s … he’s my best friend, Peggy. If I can’t drift with him, then I can’t drift with anybody. The serum didn’t fix me at all. It broke me and I don’t know how to … I can’t help you fight the good fight, like I wanted to."

Such a goddamn waste, Phillips had said, more than once.

But no. It is only a waste if they keep talking this way. It’s only a waste if they give up.

She extends her hand. “Why don’t we test that theory?” she says.

He looks up and blinks. Once. “I don’t want to hurt you,” he says reluctantly, but his body is already half-way out of the seat, and it’s only the memory of the Bucky failure keeping him in his seat at all.

Foolishness, and Peggy has no time for it. “This is my choice, and I must trust you a good deal to make it. Honor my choice by returning my trust.”

It’s all it takes to get him to say yes.

**January 2016, Inside The Howling Commando**

The memories hit her at once, with a greater force than has been typical, but she takes a deep breath, and allows herself to relax.

She’s sitting on a carpet, in an apartment that is home, and she is rubbing the calloused feet of a woman whom she loves more than anything.

"I can’t condone your fights, Stevie, but I can condone you protecting someone else," the woman says to her. "And I’m glad you stood back up, even if it meant he hit you again. Always stand back up, Stevie. No matter how much it hurts you to do so."

The warmth and love she feels for this woman isn’t Peggy’s, but the admiration she feels is. Thank you, Peggy wants to say; thank you for training him correctly. Thank you so much for being so much like …

But the scene shifts, and Peggy can see Steve. Tiny, not more than four years old, Steve, sitting on her grandmother’s lap. “Always remember that I shot as many Nazis as your grandfather, but he is the one who has the medal. It is everything you need to know about our world.”

The memory fades a bit, and she can feel the ghost of a hand in hers. Peggy blinks and Steve - grown, adult - Steve looking quite flushed. “These memories … yours and mine … they seem so real.”

"Sometimes people get lost in them. But we aren’t going to go chasing that rabbit, are we, Steve?" she says.

Her heart beats once, twice in her ears, before the memories fade entirely, leaving only the feel of a warm mental embrace; Peggy knows instantly that it must be the kind of connection that Jones - and everyone else - means when they talk about being drift compatible.

The Right Partner, she thinks.

Steve looks at her from his pilot spot and says, “No, Partner, I think instead of chasing rabbits we’re going to be too busy telling the Kaiju to move.”

**March 2016, Hong Kong**

Of course, there are other things within Steve’s mind that have nothing to do with his mother.

"I really did mean to take you dancing," Steve tells her as the red dress falls to the floor. "It wasn’t a metaphor."

Peggy leans back onto the bed, sitting up a bit on her elbows to get a good look at Steve unbuttoning his trousers. Oh, she could help him, but it is such a lovely sight, and besides, he is well aware that her preference is to watch him remove his own trousers.

There are other things she will help him with, later. But this he does for her benefit, and he does it slow, putting on the kind of show that only increases Peggy’s want.

"I’ve been inside your head, Partner," she says. "I know exactly what you meant."

He ducks his head to laugh, and his clothing finally hits the floor.

She has seen him with others before - some things are an unavoidable part of the drift - but it is nothing at all like the feeling that she experiences when his mouth touches her skin. It is as much of a revelation to her as their first drift had been.

**May 2016, Tokyo**

"Congratulations," Steve says, as they stand over the body of the second Kaiju that Peggy has killed. "Two victories in a row. Sure to go down in the history books now."

"Don’t worry, Rogers. I’m sure they’ll put in the name of my partner, too."

"As long as I at least get mentioned in the footnotes," Steve says. "That’ll be enough for me."

Their teasing, as naturally as it comes, is put on hold equally as naturally. The battle was successful,but there is still clean-up to attend to, because after all, the war is not yet over.


End file.
